Pain over losing mother drives Lakers' breakout star

The pain strikes Lakers forward Jordan Hill as fierce as one of his defensive stops and as fast as one of his hustle plays.

Ever since he was three years old, Hill has stomached frustration far more serious than overcoming his reputation as a lottery bust or convincing Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni he deserves a bigger role.

The 26-year-old Hill also has handled living for the past 23 years without his mother, Carol, who died because of complications with breast cancer.

“I can’t really remember a lot of things about her,” Hill said. “I have flashbacks of her involving just anything — me being with her and her holding me. But I can’t do anything about it.”

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Hill instead has channeled that frustration into something productive.

For the Lakers’ season opener last month against the Clippers, Hill bought 20 tickets for breast cancer survivors and members of the Susan G. Komen LA Chapter, which raises funds for treatment. Hill then met with them later and shared his story, which also involved his sister and stepmother detecting early signs of breast cancer and receiving the necessary treatment to defeat it. Last season, Hill also walked in the organization’s “Rally for the Cure” race, shortly after having hip replacement surgery that sidelined him for 53 games.

Hill’s mother also became a key source in sparking him this season toward averaging a career-high 10.4 points on 62.2 percent shooting and 8.4 rebounds in 20.9 minutes through 12 games. Among the many tattoos Hill has plastered on his body includes one on his left arm that features a basketball with Carol’s name on it along with a message above and beneath it: “In Loving Memory. Doing it for You.”

“Every game I talk to her,” Hill said in a private moment. “She keeps looking down on me. I know she’s watching. I’m definitely doing this all for her. I know she’s happy right now.”

The Lakers (5-7) would be in a happier mood if they entered their game Friday against the Golden State Warriors (8-3) at Staples Center better than an 11th-place standing in the Western Conference. Or if they had more clarity on the pending return from Kobe Bryant (left Achilles tendon surgery) and Steve Nash (nerve issues in back).

But the Lakers have remained in positive spirits about Hill’s play. In the fours games since he has started, Hill has 18.8 points and 12.0 rebounds in just under 31 minutes per contest.

“This guy is playing at an All-Star level,” D’Antoni said. “What he’s doing is remarkable right now. There’s no reason he can’t keep that up.”

Telling words, considering Hill entered his rookie season with the New York Knicks under D’Antoni in a diminished role despite being selected as the eighth pick in the 2009 NBA draft. After averaging four points in 25 minutes through 24 games in New York at the beginning of the 2008-2009 season, Hill was traded to the Houston Rockets with Jared Jefferies before the trade deadline as part of a three-team deal that resulted in the Rockets’ Tracy McGrady going to the Knicks.

Hill later noted to the Houston Chronicle that D’Antoni doesn’t like playing rookies. D’Antoni then told the New York Post he doesn’t play “bad rookies.”

Other obstacles came up.

The Lakers acquired him from Houston in 2012 but initially considered Hill as nothing more than a throw-in to allow them to trade Derek Fisher and a first-round pick to save salary and trim their backcourt. Hill proved otherwise by soon becoming a strong part of the Lakers’ bench and providing endless energy on defense, rebounding and hustle plays. But last season’s hip injury halted that growth.

“I couldn’t do nothing about it but keep my head up,” said Hill, who’s in the final year of a contract worth $3.5 million. “Now I’m here and a lot more mature and better player.”

To reach that point, Hill spent plenty of his time at his Atlanta residence healing his hip, improving his post moves and working on mid-range jumpers. He hasn’t exactly become the so-called “stretch four” D’Antoni envisioned, but his endless energy and improved post presence has proven enough. D’Antoni consistently tabs Hill as the ideal example that increased playing time correlates with increased effort.

“That’s all I needed — more minutes,” Hill said.”I have a lot more confidence when I step out on the floor. When I go out there, I go after it.”

“He’s extremely long, has strong arms and has a knack for the ball in getting his way around the rim,” Bryant said. “He has a great touch in the low post and great touch from the perimeter. He’s been a pleasant surprise. to say the least.”

With Hill looking at a photo of himself as a baby with his mother on his cell phone before each game, it’s clear what has fueled his rise with the Lakers.

“I’ve been through this my whole life, but I’ve just kept on running with it,” Hill said. “It was hard, but I’ve managed to pull through it. I’ve kept my head high.”